Carbon Neutrality Goal Is Too Far Away? Residents’ Psychological Distance of Low-Carbon Policy Over Time and Space in China

Abstract

Residents' psychological time and space distance from the low-carbon policy can affect their support for the policy. The objective of this study is to investigate the psychological spatiotemporal distance of Chinese residents toward low-carbon policies and its influencing factors. Structural equation modeling was used in this study. Based on the data from the questionnaire survey, we found that most of the interviewed residents had a psychological time distance of 21–30 years for low-carbon policies, while the spatial distance was in the "global" range. Therefore, the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2060 exceeds the psychological time distance of the interviewed residents. The results of the structural equation model showed that residents' psychological time distance toward low-carbon policies is significantly and positively correlated with policy effects, policy costs, and residents' low-carbon values and attitudes. Residents' psychological spatial distance to low-carbon policies was significantly and positively correlated with the effects of low-carbon policies and residents' low-carbon values and attitudes.